Seized car auctions are a huge bonus for those who know what they are in for, but to the uninitiated, it is not going to be a big deal for those. This is a place where you can find cars at more than 80% below the retail value. Private car owners visit these places to buy affordable used cars while used car dealers buy many of them and resell later for huge profits. Since such auctions take place all the time at different parts of the country, it is likely someone can find a great deal somewhere at one of these seized car auctions.

Before going to seized car auctions, you really need to prepare yourself well with some information. For a start, you need to know what kind of cars are you looking for and to be specific, what the car model is and which year of make. You also need to decide how much you are willing to spend and what is the maximum ceiling of your bids. All these are important questions to ask. While all seems good, you need to be mindful that some of these cars are left unattended. Another issue is that these vehicles are sold “As Is” and do not carry warranty at all, so there is a certain level of risk to take.

There are many car buyers who would search the Business-to-Business (B2B) yellow pages to locate seized car auctions everyday. However, in today’s environment, there is a shortcut to do so. The internet has seen the establishment of online sites that provide detailed and most up-to-date databases of these auctions. You can easily view information such as the state and location of the auction, the type of car model available and even pricings. Not only so, they often capture details about unadvertised auto auctions you do not find in the national and local newspapers.

One big complaint of many buyers are these auctioneers often rattle off so fast that most have difficulty understanding or grasping what they are saying. To avoid any mistake, it is wise to bring somebody who is experienced in car dealing with you. It can be a friend or a hired expert.

At the seized car auctions organized by the government, you can expect to receive a free Car Fax VIN report before you begin any bidding. There are probably thousands of clean titles, and some pretty low mileage vehicles of all models and makes. But do not rest on your laurels. Do an AutoCheck Vehicle History to find out if the car has been involved in any accidents or suffered from damages. Titles like “Rebuilt”, “Salvaged”, “Junked” and so on are indications that there are flaws.

It can be quite an awesome task to dig through tons of newspapers and local business directories just to find seized car auctions near your home. Fortunately, there are online services that have ready databases on hand that you can easily search in.

Anyone keen on buying a seized car at deep discounts should check out my car blog and conduct a comprehensive and instant search for seized car auctions and the car details.

The “Big Three”, Chrysler, General Motors and Ford Motor Company, have been on capital hill begging for some of the bailout money that was set aside about three months ago now. How ironic is it that everyone is so eager or willing to bail out banks that have horrible business models, have made terrible mistakes, refuse to make wholesale changes, and yet people seem so reluctant to help the manufacturing backbone of this country and perhaps the world? Oh but I digress… So regardless of how we got here, or what is being done to fix things, this is actually a phenomenal time for an individual that may be in the market to purchase a new or pre-owned vehicle.

Obviously, manufacturers, both domestic and foreign, have large surpluses that they are trying to reduce. So rebates and incentives are quite large right now. Additionally but unfortunately, because of the economy, more and more individuals are forced to have their car repossessed. This creates a surplus of vehicles at wholesale auctions. This is where you get to take advantage of surpluses that drive prices down and give you a tremendous value on that next vehicle you are looking for.

Increasingly, sites similar to Seize Cars.com are becoming popular places for car shoppers who are doing more and more of their car shopping online. Sites like these are giving you a fabulous opportunity to purchase a previously owned vehicle at a tremendous price. But buyers beware, not all sites are created equal. Obviously there are bound to be more and more of these types of sites popping up everywhere, so do your homework. Reputable sites like Seize Cars.com are definitely changing the ways people buy cars. If not permanently, that at least in the near term.

Government seized car auctions can work for you if you understand how they function and learn how to make use of them to buy cheap vehicles. Few people actually even know that they exist which gives you an edge over most folks. While it is really a disadvantage to the government to sell the cars at dirt cheap prices, it is great gain to you as a potential buyer.

How do Government Seized Car Auctions come about?

The government agencies are confiscating or repossessing many vehicles everyday. A good estimate puts that figure at thousands a day. These automobiles originally belong to owners who are either in debt to the government due to tax arrears, defaults or criminals at large. Under the seizure laws, there are legal provisions to seize these properties. The sheer number of vehicles being seized each day is overwhelming and the agencies desperately need to get rid of them quickly.

It is this situation that creates the opportunity to purchase vehicles at rock bottom prices. Do not be surprised to find cars, even luxury cars at up to 90% off the prices you see at the local car dealership. You can even drive home a decent branded vehicle for $100 occasionally.

Other important things to note about government seized car auctions

To participate in such auctions, you need to be at least 18 years old. Bring along your ID when you are there as verification is needed. Alternatively, get someone who meets the age requirement to represent you.

There are some auctions which are not privy to the general public. This requires the application of a license in order to be able to bid. Normally, these are for the dealers. Nonetheless, there are plenty of public auctions which you can participate in whether you are buying a car for your personal usage or for profits.

The conventional method to locate these government seized car auctions would be to check with your local government auctioneers or city council for information about the vehicles available and auction venue. Such details could be found in the newspapers and auto magazines as well. Unfortunately, a lot of this information is not always updated and real-time.

Ideally, you need to know about the venue and car listings before you even enter an auction. This gives you ample time to find out all you want to know about the vehicle details such as its car value, make, model and performance. This piece of information can be found on seized auto search directories like the one listed in my blog.

Typically, there are dozens of government seized car auctions happening at various states at any point of time. So you can actually plan your route over the weekend perhaps to drive from one to another to view the vehicles. It is always wise to list down a top 3 or 4 favorite choice you would like to bid for. At least if you miss one, you can always bid for the next.

Likewise, to do so, you need to be fully aware of where the auctions are happening as well as when and what time. They normally open early so that you can be there prior to the bidding to actually see the displayed vehicles to make your pick. This information is found in online seized car search directories.

Finally, always bring along a qualified car mechanic as he would be able to perform simple diagnostics to assess the condition of the vehicle. If you have a friend who is good at that, ask him or her along. To get started, check out my blog for an up to date listing of the current government seized car auctions.